Jessie Sheehan, the author of The Vintage Baker, has a new book out, Snackable Bakes, filled with "100 easy peasy recipes for exceptionally scrumptious sweets and treats."
I have half a dozen recipes flagged to make, but I had to start with the peanut butter cookies, which won The Pancake Princess's peanut butter cookie bakeoff, triumphing over recipes from Bon Appetit, The New York Times, Bravetart, and Ovenly, to name a few.
As I read the recipe in Jessie's book, I noticed it differs slightly from the contest-winning one on her blog — the recipe in the book has fewer ingredients, the measurements are given in weights, and the process is simpler: no stand mixer required 🎉.
It also, interestingly, calls for vegetable shortening, whereas the recipe on her blog calls for neutral oil. The reason for this substitution, Jessie explains, is that shortening "shortens the time between assembly and baking, as it keeps the cookies from spreading as they bake." Without it, she notes, the dough needs a rest in the fridge, a step she is against when "snackable baking" because treats falling into this category should be ready in one hour or less.
As I never have vegetable shortening on hand and as I am not averse to a longer path, I decided to go an all-butter route instead, and, as a result, I let the batter rest overnight in the fridge. The following day, I let the batter soften briefly at room temperature; then I portioned, rolled, and baked.
The result? A sugar-crusted, soft and chewy, nicely peanutty and salty cookie with a surface crinkling to perfection. These cookies more than lived up to the hype, exceeding all expectations. And though I love them so, I am demanding my husband bring in the remaining few to work tomorrow because I feel unsafe left alone with the cookie tin. They are irresistible.
But can I tell you the best part? It's a one-bowl job. Get the recipe along with three more notable details about this magical cookie here:
| Soft & Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies |
PS: More Contest-Winning Baked Goods
7 New Cookbooks & More
Friends, Mother's Day is one week away. Here's a last-minute guide for any of you last-minute shoppers… right there with you 👋👋👋 Most of the items in this post, I think, will still ship in time. And if you really leave it up to the last minute, there are lots of great digital gift options, such as a subscription to a Substack newsletter (Dinner: A Love Story, The Department of Salad, Letter from Berlin, or Susanality are all great options) or a live cooking class via Goldbelly or a gift certificate to any number of online or local shops (see the post for a list of shops I love).
For local people, a ticket to one of the many classes offered at The Workshop Experience next weekend in Hillsdale would also make a wonderful gift.
As always, I hope these ideas serve as inspiration, and, as always, I love hearing your ideas, too, so please share in the comments.
| 7 New Cookbooks & More |
Hope y'all had a great weekend. The sun was out up here, and I spent 90% of the weekend watching soccer games... no complaints ☀️☀️⚽️⚽️
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